The parameter data are highly controlled data representing
all of the settings required to protect the NSTX-U coils. This
includes algorithm limits, coefficients, threading priorities,
and which algorithms to run, among many other settings.
Changing this data in an adverse way could prevent the
ability of DCPS to protect the coils and possibly damage
the system. Therefore, it is vital that the data be under close
scrutiny and tight controls. Alongside software restrictions and
physical separation, NSTX-U will also employ strict operating
procedures as another layer of protection. Finally, the DMC
will contain hard-coded values on a per-algorithm basis to
prevent truly outlandish limits and coefficients.
The postshot data contains mostly time-based data collected
for every 200-μs cycle. This includes the result of every
algorithm calculation, intermediate calculated values, faults,
all of the raw input data, the calibrated version of the input
data, and more. All of this resides in the MDSPlus tree
following a strict organization that allows easy retrieval for
numerous different offline analysis programs.